Cherry Almond Couscous

August 31, 2009 By 1 Comment

Chill Grapevine This summer I have been looking for cherry recipes to try and Cherry Almond Couscous had been one I really wantied to try.  Every time I would go to make this I’d be missing one ingredient.  Yesterday, everything fell in place. This dish is super quick and easy.  It is sweet from the cherries and the almonds give the dish a crunch to the bite.  It would be great served hot or cold as a salad.  In this 100 degree weather, cold sounds pretty good. Cherry Almond Couscous by Steve Petusevsky Makes 6 servings 1 cup water 1 [...]

Filed Under: Grains, Salads, Side Dish Tagged With: , , ,

Grilled Vegetables

August 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment

I brought my grilled vegetables to a dinner last weekend.  It is my go to side dish especially this time of year when there are so many fresh vegetables.  This is a mix and match dish.  You take your favorite vegetables chop them up and throw them in a large ziplock.  Then add your favorite herbs, a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It is that easy. Throw them on a grill pan or basket and cook until slightly charred and tender but still crispy. You can adjust the amount of vegetables and for variety mix up your vegetables.

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Oat Crisps with Marscarpone Cheese and Blueberries

August 26, 2009 By 1 Comment

Plush Nightclub These oat crisps will make a great base for desserts.  They are light and crisp.  I paired them with Mascarpone Cheese and Blueberries but a scoop of ice cream drizzled with chocolate or caramel sauce would be great too.

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Flank Steak with Balsamic Soy Glaze

August 23, 2009 By 1 Comment

Years ago I took a cooking class at the Mondavi Food and Wine Center in town.  The instructor, Hugh Carpenter, made 5 amazing dishes. Each one was bursting with flavor.  I had forgotten about them until I went looking for a quick and easy marinade for flank steak.  I pulled out his Fast Entrees cookbook and found a tasty glaze to try out. I was putting together a dinner for friends at another friends house.  That is sort of my story, I cook on the road.  My personal chef days prepared me and I usually end of cooking at someone [...]

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Grilled Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

August 17, 2009 By Leave a Comment

This summer my niece has made “pasta with cheese” or fettuccine alfredo, her favorite dish.  Last night I decided to try a light version, inspired by a Cooking Light recipe.  I used bowtie pasta and added grilled chicken and broccoli to make a healthier dish for kids. The lightened version has less butter and substitutes half and half for heavy cream.  In Cooking Light they were able to take 10 grams of fat off per serving.  Their sauce was a bit bland for me so I added a clove of garlic.  The kids, my toughest critics some days, liked it.  [...]

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Dark Chocolate Ice Cream

August 14, 2009 By 2 Comments

Summer is all about light and refreshing.  Ice cream is a great summer treat.  I remember my father would have a bowl of ice cream every night when i was growing up. Looking through some of my cookbooks I was inspired to try Dark Chocolate Ice Cream.  It was rich and delicious. My two little tasters, Livi and Chase loved it. Top it with berries and you have the perfect end to a meal. Dark Chocolate Ice Cream The Chocolate Bar Cookbook 1 cup heavy cream 2 cups milks 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 5 large egg yolks 2 [...]

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Oatmeal Scotchies

August 11, 2009 By 2 Comments

One night I was wanting to bake and had all of the ingredients for these cookies.  I love the combination of oatmeal and butterscotch.  They cook up crispy and sweet.  Perfect with a cup of coffee.

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Peaches and Blackberry Coffee Cake

August 10, 2009 By 1 Comment

I decided to try making a coffee cake from the Bisquick Healthy Heart.  Can I tell you a secret?   I grew up with a mom who used Bisquick.  That was the base at our house for both biscuits and pancakes.  My favorite hands down was the coffee cake. I confess that it is still on hand for those quick cooking needs. I have been enjoying all the bounty of fresh fruit and decided to incorporate peaches and blackberries into a coffee cake.  I decided to try it using Bisquick. In all honesty the first one did not turn out, the [...]

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Sloppy Joe Casserole

August 6, 2009 By 2 Comments

One of my niece and nephews favorite dishes is my mom’s Sloppy Joe’s.  A few weeks ago I decided to turn it into a casserole.  The kids liked it and even my brother thought it was great. His compliment meant a lot because my brother was the guinea pig for my early cooking.  During his senior year he was forced to endure a few home cooked meals.  One memorable meal was my first attempt at spaghetti and meatballs.  My boyfriend at the time joined us and I proudly dished it up.  After taking the first bite Rob proclaimed it awful.  [...]

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